The World | IN BRIEF / HONG KONG

Democracy Activists Turn Out by Thousands

Thousands of people turned out for a pro-democracy rally full of fresh criticism of the territory's political leader, who was forced to back down recently over a planned anti-subversion law.

Protesters chanted, "Return power to the people!" and sang pro-democracy songs. But they booed at footage of Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa promising that the territory's freedoms were not threatened by the anti-subversion bill that has thrown his government into a crisis.

Tung was forced last week to delay the bill as support dried up following a July 1 protest by 500,000 people.